I know, I know. I'm obsessed, so I'm biased here, but hear me out.
I started off as a Glee HATER, and I don't mean just a little bit. I boycotted Glee, wouldn't watch it, and told everyone I knew that it was stupid. I thought that it was terrible acting, mockery of all that I hold dear (aka, Broadway), and generally, SUCKED.
Oh how very wrong I was.
Glee is now an international phenomenon, and it has EVERYONE talking about it (and if they aren't talking about it, they are listening to someone talk about it). The question I have been asking myself is, "why?" Why is a show like that SO GOOD? I have come up with a few reasons:
1. The show is extremely universal. It has something for literally everyone. There are characters that struggle with marriage, with dating, with divorce, with being single, with the consequences of bad choices, with self-esteem, with coming to grips with who they really are, with racism, with bullying, with understanding the world around them, with learning what is right and wrong...and so much more. Everyone can relate to AT LEAST one character. I myself identify with several.
2. The show has all elements of theater in it. It has drama, it has humor, it has music, dancing, romance, truly deep and sad moments...it has it all. Glee delivers every week in all areas.
3. The characters in this show are FULLY DEVELOPED, and are further developed every episode. For instance, the character Sue Sylvester...wow. What a roller coaster ride it has been watching Jane Lynch develop Sue into this character where you never know what to expect next. You want to hate her, but you always end up loving her, cheering for her, and crying for her. How? Jane Lynch (and the brilliant writers of this show) have developed a FULL and DEEP character with many levels, facets, and emotions (hint hint: like a real human being). Oftentimes, TV shows get their characters stuck in ruts. "This character is the blunt character who makes all the fat jokes." It works, there are formulas to TV shows that work...but I personally prefer to see something a little more meaty. These meaty shows are what makes me WAY more emotionally involved because I feel like the characters are REAL PEOPLE. I feel like Sue Sylvester, Rachel Barry, and Will Schuster are real people, and I can go meet them. Whats-his-bucket on 'Friends' or 'Everybody Loves Raymond' though...pretty sure they are TV characters.
4. The acting in this show is INCREDIBLE. Each actor/actress is FULLY committed to their characters, and they really have developed their relationships with the other characters in the show. Take the character Quinn Fabray for example. The brilliant Dianna Agron shows a beautiful character arc from a snooty and stuck-up cheerleader to an upset pregnant teen to a mature young lady who is learning life's lessons the hard way-and helping those around her. Dianna has done a beautiful job showing the CHANGE in this character, and the WHY of this change.
5. Let's just get it out there: The performance aspect of this show is AMAZING!!! Most of the characters from this show have done professional work either theatrically or on film (Filmitrically?). But yes...Matthew Morrison and Lea Michelle tear it up every week with their AMAZING voices, and then you throw in the beautiful Male Soprano of Chris Colfer and Amber Riley's black woman power, and BAM! Musical genius.
6. Writing is KEY in every TV show, and this show HAS IT. The writers are brilliant. They turn the story in ways you would never expect and bring in the humor and tenderness that make you so utterly devoted to this show.
All in all. I love Glee, you should too. If you haven't been watching it, go to cucirca.com and do so.
Unite, Gleeks!
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